Apparatus for feeding material



June25, 1935. w. D. FOSTER ET AL APPARATUS FOR FEEDING MATERIAL Filed Oct. 5, 1931 INVENToR. MRR/5N Du/vHAMFwIZ/l? A TTORNEY.`

'Patented June 25, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,005,738 l APPARATUS Foa FEEDING MATERIAL York Application October 5, 1931,'Serial No. 567,109

30 Claims.

R The present invention relates broadly to improved apparatus for feeding material, particularly to apparatus especially adapted for the feeding of film bearing thereupon pictorial or 5. sound images or for exposure to such images,

although the utility of the invention is not limited in this respect.

An object of the present invention is tovprovide simple, inexpensive and effective apparatus l whereby a strip of material may be fed from` one supportingmemberto another and an intermediate portion maintained motionless for regularly recurring periods. According to one exemplication ,of this system offeeding, both the 15 delivery and taking up carriers are driven con-` tinuously but at rates of speed which vary in accordance With the intermittency of movement of the intermediate section of the material which is being worked uponthe entire operative length 20 ofI the material being maintained under a condition of substantially uniform tension. The intermittently operable feeding member disposed between the carriers serves both to draw material directly from the supply carrier and, working through the material, to operate an auxiliary feeding and tensioning device disposed between the feeding member and the supply carrier,` The driven taking-up member serves both to move the film away from the intermediate intermittently operating member and to operate an auxiliary feeding and tensioning device disposed therebetween.

Apparatus constructed according to my invention may also be advantageously employed in connection with a continuously operating feeding member for the purpose of compensating for minor irregularities of movement of such member and maintaining the material under an even and uniform iiow. This application of my invention is particularly useful in connection with ripple killing, as this process is often termed in the'sound motion picture art.

In the co-pending application of Clarkson Ulysses Bundick and Barton Allen Proctor, Serial Number 44,482, led July 18, 1925, method and means for feeding material are described and claimed which involve the use of spring pressed members engaging the lm. An object of this invention is to provide improvedmeans, by the use of weighted rollers operated solely by gravity and engaging the lm adjacentthe feeding member for carrying out the Bundick and Proctor method of feeding.

Another object of the present invention is to provide improved auxiliary feeding and tension- (ci. fzs-17) ing meansA particularly adapted to the handling of relatively heavy masses of material or the successive handling of masses of material of different weight, or the feeding of successive masses of material at different speeds.

Obviously the tensionto be applied to the material Which is being fed should be initially determined in accordance with the weight of the entire mass of material. Likewise adjustments should be made in accordance with the rate of movement at which the material is fed. When the tension depends upon spring pressure, such adjustment only with difficulty can be explained to the user, particularly if he is an amateur, and is difficult to determine and carry out with accuracy. An object of my invention is to provide means whereby the tension upon the material may be easily and definitely varied by the user before the feeding operation is commenced, preferably by the use of a scale marked in terms of the footage or' weight of the material to be fed, or the rate of movement, or both.

An object of the present invention is the provision of improved auxiliary feeding devices and improved tensioning devices for use with material handling apparatus, and also improved arrangement of such devices and the parts thereof.

In the accompanying drawing there is shown, for purposes of illustration only, one preferred embodiment of the present invention, and one preferred modification of such embodiment, it being understood that the drawing does not dene the limits of the invention, as changes in the construction and operation disclosed therein may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the broader claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view largely diagrammatic, illustrating one embodiment of the present invention. 4

Figure 2 is a view taken on the lines 2-2 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 2-rt is a detailed side elevational view of the arrangement of an adjustable weight upon' an actuating arm.

Figure 3 is a top plan viewof a of my invention.

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the same.

In carrying out the present invention in connection, for example, with the feeding of film, there may be provided an apparatus comprising a main frame Fupon which are mounted a delivery spindle 2 and a take-up spindle 3 between which the lm f is fed. A delivery carrier 4 is mounted upon the delivery spindle and a take-up modification Yso carrier 5 upon the take-up spindle. Intermediate these carriers are positioned guiding rollers, 1, 8 and 9, each qfwhich rotates upon its fixed axis. For imparting an intermittent or other feeding movement to the film, a toothed feeding sprocket I I is positioned between the' carriers. Between the feeding member I I and the guiding roller 1 an aperture may be provided, the axis of which is indicated by the dot and dash line I 2.

A gate, light sensitive cell, or other element may be positioned at this point. The desired. feeding movement may be communicated to the sprocket II and to the take-up spindle 3 in any desired or conventional way. The drive for the take-up spindle 3 is preferably but not necessarily yielding. Since these driving means form no part of the present invention and are well understood in the art, they are not illustrated or described. y

Cooperating with the film upon each side of the feeding member II, I provide auxiliary feeding and tensioning devices. Between the delivery spindle 2 and the feeding member II and adjacent the idler 1, `a roller I5 is mounted for rotation upon a shaft I6, supported by an arm I1, which is shown as pivoted upon a shaft I8 attached to the rear of the main frame F, the shaft I6 extending through a suitable arcuate slo-t I9 formed in the frame F.

As illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, a braking mechanism is Aassociated with the tensioning roller I5 but such mechanism is not essential to my invention although -it is useful in connection therewith. Mounted upon a right angled extension 20 of the supporting arm I1 is a fiat spring,

2| to the upper extremity of which, as viewed in Figure 1, is attached a suitable braking surface 22 which cooperates with a brake drum 23, which is revoluble with the delivery spindle 2. To prevent too free rotation of the delivery spindle 2, a fixed braking surface 24 may also be provided, if desired.

Similar mechanism is associated with the taking up spindle 3. A tension roller 25 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 26 which projects from a supporting arm 21, pivoted at 28 to the main frame F, the shaft 26 extending through an appropriate'arcuate slot 29 in such frame. To an extension 30 of the supporting arm 21 is attached a. fiat spring 3| upon which is mounted a 'brake shoe 32 which cooperates with a brake drum 33 attached to the taking up spindle 3 for rotation therewith.

As is clearly shown in Figure 2-a, in order to provide for differences in the weight of the material to be fed or for different -conditions of feeding, a weight 31 is mounted `upon the supporting arm I1. Upon the surface of the arm I1 a scale consisting of the graduations 38 is etched. Indicia relating to footage or speed or both or to other desired factors may be placed upon this scale. The desired adjustment is secured by the set screw 39. A similar adjustable member is provided for the arm 21 associated with the taking up spmdle 3.

The operation of the device in connection with an intermittently operated sprocket is as follows:

As power is applied to the sprocket II, the sprocket revolves and film is pulled from the carrier 4. Owing to the inertia of the mass of film upon this carrier and, if desired, to the pressure applied through the fixed braking member 24, the roller I5 is raised from the position shown in Figure 1. While the sprocket II is at rest, the weight of the roller I5,` assisted, if desired, b y

the weight 31, continues the rotation of the carrier 4 and draws therefrom a certain amount of film. .Upon the next succeeding rotation of the sprocket II, the portion of the film necessary to compensate for the displacement caused by such rotation is the length of film previously pulled from the carrier 4 and such as at that moment is pulled directly from such carrier. The tension exerted upon the film through the roller i5 serves to cushion such direct movement of film from the carrier. The delivery carrier rotates continuously but its speed of rotation is determined by the effect exerted through the Weighted roller I5 in combination with the intermittency of movement of the sprocket II. The film vis maintained under substantially constant tension.

In addition to the operation above described, the braking shoe 22 and its associated parts, if desired, may be employed. The arm' I1, under the influence of the Weight thereupon, is normally swung downwardly as shown in Figure 1 so as to bring the shoe 22 in contact with the drum 23 by means of the spring 2|, the brakeshoe 22 thus tending to prove too free rotation of the delivery spindle 2 and thereby preventing the tension upon the film becoming less than that required for proper feeding. This braking function is particularly useful at the initiation of the feeding operation. In the event of a tendency toward too great tension, however, the tension of the .film causes the supporting arm I1 to move upwardly and hence relieve the braking action of the shoe 22. This braking action is also particularly useful in cases of unusual condition of lm feeding, such as, for example, binding of a spindle due to improper lubrication, a piece of grit, sudden acceleration or deceleration of the feeding sprocket, or any of the countless irregularities which arise in film feeding. If the -movable braking surface `22 is employed, the fixed brake 24 is often unnecessary.

The operation of the tensioning and feeding roller 25 is analogous to that of the roller I5. As the sprocket II revolves, a portion of the fili-n equal to one frame is moved forwardly. The spindle 3 pulls the film away from the sprocket andcoils it upon the take-up carrier 5. This movement tends t'o raise the roller 25 from its lower position as shown in the drawing. Upon the next feeding impulse of the sprocket II, the action of the-roller 25 upon the film is effective for moving the film away from the sprocket. As the sprocket II again becomes motionless, the power which is applied to the spindle 3 is effective merely to raisethe roller 25 and to coil a portion of a frame upon the carrier 5 and not to jerk the film against the teeth of the sprocket I I. Such jerking would of course be injurious to the perforations of the film. Thus it will be seen that the action of the weighted roller 25 maintains the section of the film between the intermittent feeding member and the taking up carrier constantly in motion andv under substantially uniform tension. So far as this portion of the feeding operation is concerned, the spindle 3 may be positively instead of yieldingly driven, and if the rangeof movement of the weighted roller 25 is sufficiently great, reliance may be placed upon the roller alone to compensate lfor the difference in speed as the mass of film upon the take up reel is built up. Generally, however, it is pre-` ferred to use the conventional frictional drive so that peripheral speed of the carrier 5 will notv The brake shoe 32 may be employed if desired and cooperates with the shoe33 in away analogous to that 'described above.

It will be noted that the two weighted rollers act in opposition to4 each other, upon opposite sidesy of the intermittent feeding member, if the sprocket Il is of the intermittent type, and of the aperture of the gate, if any, thus also tending to maintain this section of the film motionless and fiat where and when such characteristics are needed. Moreover, the pull of one 4roller upon the film is equalized by that of the other, thus preventing undue pressure between the sides of the-teeth of the sprocket I I and the perforations of the film. Attention is particularly directed to the fact that the entire operative length of film, between the delivery carrier and the take-up carrier, is continuously subjected to the operation of these weighted rollers.

Figures 3 and 4 illustrate a preferred modification of myv invention in which thebraking member is completely eliminated.

I mount a.roller 4| revoluble upon a shaft 42 in slots 43 formed in each of two parallel members 44 and 45, and engaging the film f and bodily supported thereby, as will be readily apparent from the drawing. The members may be formed of fibre. The roller is so positionedrelatively to the film carrier and to other supporting or guiding structures that it isdisposed within a bight of the film. The parallel members serve to support the roller, and to permit its free rotation as well as its free movementin a direction substantially normal to the line of travel of the lm. Such devices may be employed in association with both the delivery and taking-up spindles. As the film is moved by the feeding member Il, the film bodily raises the roller 4I, which is disposed between such member and the delivery spindle 2, and the weight thereof is effective during the periodl of idleness of the feeding member Dto draw film from the carrier 4 and during the period of operation of the feeding member to cushion the pull thereof upon the mass of film upon the delivery carrier. Similarly, the roller associated with the take-up spindle 3 and supported by the length of film between ,the feeding member and take-up spindle is effective to draw film away from the feeding member after each operation thereof and to absorb the pulling infiuence of the take-up spindle during the periods of inactivity of the feeding member. It is of course understood that the operation of this device is such that the entire operative portion of the film is maintained under tension and the two carriers maintained under constant motion.

In the foregoing portion of this specification, it has been stated that the various parts of the invention are so disposed relatively to each other and to the film that both carriers are maintained continuously in motion. If desired, the parts may be so disposed, preferably in combination with braking pressure of relatively great magnitude; that the carriers stop and start in timed relation to the movement of the intermittent member, but such arrangement is not recommended for general purposes.

The upper extremity of the slots within the parallel supporting members, as viewed in Figure 4, is preferably left open so that the user may remove the roller when the film is being threaded-although such removal is not necessary as he can readily pass the film under the roller--or so that he can substitute, as desired, rollers of different weight.

All film engaging rollers arepreferably relieved so that they bear only upon the portions of the lm which do not bear images thereupon.

As has been previously pointed out, if desired my invention may be applied to a continuously driven sprocket, instead of one which is driven intermittently, for the purpose of making the flow of material fed thereby more smooth andA even. Attention is directed to the fact that for such purposes I depend upon the weight of the roller which is bodily supported bythe film itself and not upon .friction between the film and an idling drum. I depend upon the weight of a member which bodily rides upon the film thus maintaining the film under constant tension and not upon skin friction between the lm and a body rotating upon a fixed It has beenfound that a film may be subjected to relatively great tension during the feeding operation with no injury whatever, provided the tension is continu- `ously maintained. On the other hand, an unsupported loop of slack film, unless of relatively great radius, is in itself destructive of film irrespective of any strain which may be placed upon the perforations.

The advantages of my invention will be evident from the fact that the operation of the conventional intermittent feeding member, in cooperation with the improved auxiliary feeding and tensioning device described herein, serves to feed a film or like material from an idling delivery carrier to a driven take-up carrier, each of such carriers being continuously driven but at rates of' speed which vary in step with movement of the intermittent member,. the entire operative length of the material being maintained under substantially constant tension. This system of feeding does away with the conventional continuous sprockets with their associated loops of slack film. Under this system, the feeding apparatus is less expensive, wear upon the material is much reduced, breakage rendered very much less frequent, threading and other manipulation made easier, and in the case of motion picture fi1m,\

greater exactitude of registration at the aperture is secured.

Further advantages arise from the provision of afilm engaging member, which is effective for subjecting the film to the desired auxiliary feeding and tensioning iniiuence, which presents a movable surface to the film, thus resulting in less wear or likelihood of damage than is the case when a fixed surface is employed.

Other advantages arise from the fact that this deviceis very easy of adjustment to conform to different feeding conditions.

In connection with a continuously operated]v feeding member, this device is simple, inexpensive, and effective, particularly in that it maintains the film under the desired constant flow of movement and under constant tension.

I claim:

1. In a film handling apparatus, an idling de livery carrier, a continuously driven take-up carrier, an intermittently driven toothed feeding ,member positioned between said carriers for drawing perforated film from said delivery car- `rier and feeding it toward said take-up carrier,v

inactivity of said'intermitten't member said roller upon itsy downward gravitational movement is effective to draw film from said delivery carrier, thereby maintaining said delivery carrier under continuous movement and maintaining the filmv under continuous tension between said intermittent feeding member and said delivery carrler;

-and a roller characterized by substantial weight bodily supported upon the nlm between said takeup carrier and said intermittent feeding member and angularly movable with the film, whereby during each period of inactivity of said intermittent feeding member said continuously operated take-up 'carrier raises said roller thereby cushioning the perforations of the nlm against strain from the teeth of said intermittent feeding member and during the period of operation of said intermittent feeding member the gravitational downward movement of said roller is effective to move the lm fed by said intermittent member away therefrom and toward said take-up carrier, thereby maintaining the section of the film between said intermittent feeding member and said take-up carrier under continuous motion and tension.

2. In a film handling apparatus, an idling carrier, an intermittently driven toothed feeding member for drawing perforated lm directly from said idling carrier, a'roller characterized by substantial weight and means for mounting said.

f roller so that it is bodily supported upon the nlm between said delivery carrier and said intermittent feeding member and angularly movable with ,the film, the weight of said roller and the position of said mounting means relative to said idling carrier and said feeding member being so arranged that each feeding impulse of said intermittent feeding member raises said roller thereby cushioning the pull of said feeding member and during each period of ,inactivity of said intermittent feeding member said roller upon its downward gravitational movement is effective to draw film from said idling carrier thereby maintaining said idling carrier under continuous movement and maintaining the lm under continuous tension between said intermittent feeding member Cal and said delivery carrier.

3. In a lm handling apparatus, a continuously driven taking up carrier, an intermittently driven toothed feeding member for advancing film toward said driven carrier, said continuous carrier being so disposed in relation to said feeding member that it draws film directly therefrom, a roller characterized by substantial weight, and means for mounting said roller so that it is bodily supported upon the film between said take-up carrier and said intermittent feeding member and angularly movable with the film, the weight of said roller and the position of said mounting means relative to said idling carrier and said feeding means being so arranged that during each period of inactivity of said intermittent feeding member the force of said continuously operated take-up carrier is employed for raising said roller thereby cushioning the perforations of the lm against strain from the teeth of said intermittent feeding member and during the period of operation of said intermittent feeding member thel gravitational downward movement of said roller is effective to move the lm fed by said intermittent member away therefrom and toward said take-up carrier thereby preventing the creation of slack, thereby maintaining the section of the lm between saidintermittent feeding member and said take-up carrier under continuous motion and tension.

4. 'In a, film handling apparatus, an idling delivery carrier, a continuously driven take-up carrier, an intermittently driven toothed member positioned between said carriers for drawing perforated film from said delivery carrier and feeding it toward said take-up carrier, a roller bodily supported upon the lm between said delivery carrier and said intermittent feeding member and angularly movable with the nlm, a supporting member movably mounted upon said apparatus, said roller being mounted upon said supporting member for rotation in respect thereto and for bodily movement therewith, whereby each feeding impulse of said intermittent member raises said roller and said supporting member thereby cushioning the pull of said feeding member and during each period of inactivity of said intermittent'member said` roller upon its downward gravitational movement is'effective to pull film from said delivery carrier, `thereby maintaining said delivery carrier under continuous movement and maintaining the lm undercontinuous tension between said intermittent feeding member and said deliverycarrier; and a roller bodily supported upon the film between said take-up carrier and said intermittent feeding member and angularly movable with the lm, a supporting memberv movably mounted upon said apparatus, said roller being mounted upon said supporting member for rotation in respect thereto and bodily movement therewith, whereby during each period of inactivity of said intermittent feeding member said continuously operated take-up carrier raises said roller and said supporting member thereby cushioning the perforations of the film against strain from the'teeth of said intermittent feeding member and duringI each period of operation of said intermittent feeding member the gravitational downward movement of said roller is effective to move the film fedV by said intermittent member away therefrom and toward said take-up carrier, thereby maintaining the section of nlm between said intermittent feeding member vand said take-up carrier under continuous motion and tension.

5. In a film handling apparatus, an idling delivery carrier, a continuously driven take-up carrier, an intermittently driven toothedv member positioned between said carriers for drawing perforatedlm from said delivery carrier and feeding it toward said take-up carrier, a roller bodily supported upon the film between said delivery carrier and said intermittent feeding member and angularly movable with the lm, a supporting arm pivotally mounted upon Said apparatus, said roller being mounted upon said arm at a point thereon relatively remote from such mounting, and a weight disposed upon said arm, whereby each feeding impulse of said intermittent member raises said weighted roller thereby cushioning the pull of said feeding member and during each period of inactivity of said intermittent member said weighted roller upon its downward gravitational movement is effective to pull lm from said delivery carrier, thereby maintaining said delivery carrier under continuous movement and maintaining the film under continuous tension between said intermittent feeding member and said delivery carrier;,and a roller bodily supported upon the film between said take-up carrier and said intermittent feeding member and angularly movable with the film, a supporting arm pivotally mounted upon said apparatus, said roller being mounted upon said arm at a point' relatively remote from such mounting, and a weight disposed above said arm, whereby during such period of inactivity of said intermittent feeding member said continuously operated take-up carrier raises said weighted roller thereby cushioning the perforations of the film against strain from the teeth of said intermittent feeding member and during the period of operation of said intermittent feeding member the gravitational downward movement of said weighted roller is effective to move the film fed by said intermittent member from said intermittent member toward said take-up carrier, thereby maintaining the section of film between said intermittent feeding member and said take-up carrier under continuous motion and tension.

6. In a filmrhandling apparatus, an idling delivery carrier, an intermittently driven toothed member for drawing perforated film directly from said delivery carrier, a roller, a supporting arm for said roller, a pivotal mounting upon said apparatus for said arm so disposedl that said roller is bodily supported upon thelm between said delivery carrier and said intermittent feeding member and angularly movable with the f film, said roller being mountedupon said arm at a point thereon relatively remote from such mounting, and a weight disposed upon said arm,

said mounting and the weight applied to said roller being so arranged in relation to said continuous carrier and said intermittent member that each feeding-impulse of said intermittent member raises said weighted roller thereby absorbing a large portion of the force of said impulse and cushioning the pull of said feeding member against the mass of the film and during each period of inactivity (ifl said intermittent member said weighted roller upon its downward gravitational movement is effective to pull lm l'directly from said delivery carrier, thereby predriven toothed member for advancing perforated` film toward said take-up carrier, said continuous carrier and said intermittent member being so disposed that said carrier draws film directly and continuously from said toothed intermittent member, a roller, a supporting arm, a pivotal mounting upon said apparatus for said arm so disposed that saidroller is bodily supported upon the film between said take-up carrier and said intermittent feeding member and angularly movable with the lm, said roller being mounted upon saidarm at a point relatively remote from such mounting, and a weight disposed upon said arm, said mounting and the weight of said roller being so disposed that during each period of inactivity of said intermittent feeding member theV force of said'continuously operated take-up carrier is employed to raise said weighted roller thereby absorbing a large portion of said force and cushioning the perforations of the film against strain from the teeth of said intermittent feeding member and during the period of operation of said intermittent feeding member the gravitational downward movement of said weightedv roller is effective to` move the film fed by said intermittent member from said intermittent member toward said take-up carrier thereby preventing the accumulation of slack,

and angularly movable with the film, a sup- ,n

porting arm pivotally mounted upon said apparatus, said roller beingv mounted upon said arm at a point thereon relatively remote from such mounting, and a weight disposed upon said arm, whereby each feeding impulse of said intermittent member raises said weighted roller thereby cushioning thepull of said feeding member and during each period of inactivity of said intermittent member said weighted roller upon its downward gravitational movement is effective to pull film from said delivery carrier, thereby maintaining said delivery carrier under continuous movement and maintaining the film under continuous tension `between said intermittent feeding member and said delivery carrier; a roll-- er bodily supportedl upon the film between said take-up carrier and said intermittent feeding member and angularly movable with ythe film, a supporting arm pivotally mounted upon said apparatus, said roller being mounted upon said arm at a point relatively .remote from such mounting, and a weight disposed` above said arm, whereby during such period of inactivity of said intermittent feeding member said continuously operated take-up carrier fraises said weighted roller thereby cushioning the perforations of the film against strain from the teeth of said intermittent feeding member and during the period of operation of said intermittent feeding member the gravitational downward movementv of said weighted roller is effective to' move the film fed by `said intermittent member from said intermittent member toward said take-up carrier, thereby maintaining the section of film between said intermittent feeding member and said take-up' carrier under continuous motion and tension; each of said weights being movable along its respective arm whereby'the effect of the respective rollers upon the film may\be predeterminedly controlled.

9. In a film handling apparatus, an idling delivery carrier, a continuously driven take-up carrier, an intermittently driven toothed member positioned between said carriers for drawing per.- forated lm from said delivery carrier and feeding it toward said take-up carrier, a roller bodily supported upon the film between said delivery carrier and said intermittent feeding member and angularly movable with the film, a supporting arm pivotally mounted upon said apparatus, said roller being mounted upon said` arm at a point -maintaining the film under continuous tension mittent member said roller upon its downward,

gravitational movement draws film from said delivery carrier, thereby maintaining said delivery carrier under continuous movement and maintaining the film under continuous tension between said intermittent feeding member and said delivery carrier.

14. In a film handling apparatus, a continuously driven take-up carrier, an intermittently driven toothed feeding member for moving film toward said take-up carrier, a roller characterized by substantial weight bodily supported upon the film between said take-up carrier and said intermittent feeding member and angularly movable with the film, and means for maintaining said roller against substantial longitudinal movement in respect to the film, said roller being so disposed in relation to said carrier and said intermittent feeding member that during each period of inactivity of said intermittent feeding member said continuously operated take-up carrier raises' said roller thereby cushioning the film against strain and during the period of operation of said intermittent feeding member `the gravitational downward movement of said roller is effective to move the film fed by said intermittent member away therefrom and towardsaid take-up carrier, thereby maintaining the section of film between said intermittent feeding member and said take-up carrier under continuous motion and tension.

15. In a film handling apparatus, a film-support, a toothed member for feeding a film positioned upon said support in relation thereto, a roller bodily supported upon the filrnbetween said support and said feeding member and angularly 'movable therewith under the infiuence thereof during such feeding operation, the disposition of said roller in relation to said'film support and said toothed member being such that said roller conditions the movement of the entire stretch of the film between said film support and said toothed feeding member, and guiding means limiting the movement of said roller in a. d irection along the path of the film between said filmsupport and said toothed member while allowing free movement thereof in a direction substantially normal to such path.

16. In a Jfilm handling apparatus, a film carrier,

Ya toothed member for feeding afilm positioned upon said carrier in relation thereto, and a roller v,of material weight entirely supported by said film and `freely movable in response to its operation disposed between said film carrier and said toothed member for assisting in the film feeding operation, said roller being so disposedA in relation to said toothed member and said carrier that it conditions the operation of the entire stretch of the film therebetween.

17. In ayfilm handling apparatus, a film-support, a toothed member for feeding a film positioned upon said support,A a roller resting upon the film between said support and said -feeding tively changing the force to which the film lis subf jected by means of `said roller. 18. In a film handling apparatus, a` film-support, a toothed member for feedinga film positioned upon said support, al roller.` rest-ing upon the film between said support and said feeding member and bodily supported by the film for assisting in the film-feeding operation, the disposi-- tion of said roller in relation to said film support and said toothed member being such that said roller conditions the movement of the entire stretch of the film between said film support and said toothed member, an arm pivoted upon said apparatus said roller being rotatably mounted thereupon at a point relatively remote from such mounting, and a weight disposed upon said arm -and movable thereupon between said mounting and the point of attachment of said roller to said arm, for the purpose of changing the force to which the film is subjected by means of said said arm, for the purpose of 'changing the Weight to which the film is subjected by means of said roller, and indicia placed upon said arm indicating the point to which said weight should be moved to secure desired conditionsof film feeding under the conditions stated by said indicia.

20. In a film handling apparatus, a film-support, a member for feeding a film positioned upon said support, and means for selectively subjecting the section of film between said support and said member to varying degrees of tension, said means comprising a member engaging the film between saidv film support and said feeding member, means for applying force to said member Vwhereby such section of the film is subjected to tension, the disposition of said film engaging member in relation to said film-support and said feeding member being such that the force applied to the film through said member conditions the entire stretch of the film between said film support and said feeding member, a control member movable at will for changing the degree of force so applied, and indiciaplaced upon said apparatus coacting with said control member indicating the point to which said control member should be moved to secure desired conditions of film feeding under the conditions stated by said indicia.

21. In a film handling apparatus, a film-support, a member for feeding a film positioned upon said support, and means for selectively subjecting the section of film between said support and said member to varying degrees of tension, said means comprising a member engaging the film between said film support and said feeding member, means for applying forceto said member whereby such section of the film is subjected to tension, the disposition of i said film engaging member in relation to said film-support and said feeding member being such that the force applied to the film through` said member conditions the entire stretch of the film between said imsupport and said feeding member, a control member movable at will for changing the degree` offorce so applied, and indicia placed upon said means for applying force of said member and coing under the conditions stated by said indicia.

22. In a film handling apparatus, a spindle adapted for the removable mounting of a fllm carrier thereupon, a toothed member for feeding al film in relation to a carrier mounted thereupon, and means for controlling the tension of that portion of the film extending between said feeding member and said carrier, said means comprising a roller bodily supported-upon the film between said feeding member and said carrier, a supporting arm, said roller being mounted upon said arm, a brake drum revoluble with said spindle, a brakeshoe for cooperation with said brake drum, and a leaf .spring one end of which is attached to said arm and upon the other end of that portion of the film between said feeding member and said carrier,`said means comprising a roller bodily supported upon the film lbetween said feeding -member and said carrier, a

' pivotally mounted arm, said roller being mounted upon said arm at a point remote from the mounting thereof, said roller being subjected to substantial weight--ln order to maintain the fllm under tension, a brake shoe drum revoluble with,

said spindle, a brake shoe for cooperation with,

said drum, and a supporting member forsaid shoe attached to said pivoted arm adjacent said pivot whereby the movement of said arm i'mmediately applies said shoe to said brake drum.

24. In a film handling apparatus, two supporting members, a power driven toothed feeding member engaging the film between.' said supportf ing members for feeding the-film from one toward the other, a first roller rotatably mounted upon a fixed axis and engaging the film fed by said feeding member upon one side of said toothed member, a second roller rotatably mounted upon a fixed axis and engaging the film upon the opposite side of said feeding member, a first roller of substantial weight-engaging the film between said first axially fixed roller and its relatively/ adjacent supporting member and bodily supported upon the film and so disposed in relation thereto as to be rotatable in respect thereto and angularly movable therewith under the influence thereof and a second roller of substantial weight l feeding member is positioned within abight in the lm and said two angularly and rotatably movable' rollers being so positioned relatively to each other that the film forming such bight is subjected t'of opposinginfiuence therefrom whereby the film fed vby said toothed feeding member is protected from irregularities of movement.

25. In a film handling apparatus, a support, a

ltoothed feeding member and a film-supporting membervbetween which a film extends', said members being mounted upon said support, two spaced film-engaging rollers positioned between said lm supporting member and said film feeding member,

aooavse said rollers being mounted upon said support for axial movement only relatively thereto, and a tensioning roller placed upon the film between said axially fixed rollers and being bodily supported by the film forming a bight therebetween, said bight during a film feeding operation increasing and diminishing and tending to equalize the tension of the entire stretch of fllm-between said fllm supporting` memberl and said toothed feeding member thereby assisting in the feeding operation, said roller being so disposed in relation to said members that said roller infiuences the entire stretch of film between said members.

26. In a fllm handling apparatus, a toothed film feeding member, a film supporting member positioned upon each side of said film feeding member, and a. film tensioning roller of substantial weight placed upon and supported by the film between each of said film supporting members and said film feeding member, said two fllm tensioning rollers being so disposed that the weight of each thereof is opposed to that of the other and thereby subjects the film to a substantially equal tension from opposite directions in relation to said fllm feeding member.

27.. In a film handling apparatus, a film supporting member, a toothed member for feeding a film in relation thereto, and film tensioning means cooperating with said members, said tensioning means comprising guiding means'for the film mounted independently of said feeding member and of said supporting member whereby a Y portion of the section thereof between said feeding memberand said supporting member may be disposed within a bight, and a roller of substantial weight bodily supported upon the film and angularly l movable therewith under the influence' thereof and cooperating with said guiding means to form such bight, whereby such section of the film between said feeding member and supporting .member'is subjected to tension.

28. In a film handling apparatus, a film supporti g member, a toothed member for feeding a film n relation thereto, and means for con trolling the tension of that portion of the fllm between said feedingQ member and said supporting member, said means comprising guiding means for the film mounted independently of said feeding member whereby a portion of the section thereof.

" betweensaid feeding member and said supporting member may be 'disposed within a bight, a roller bodily supported upon the film and cooperating with said guiding means to form such bight, whereby such section ofthe film between said feeding and supporting members is subjected to tension, a pivoted arm upon whichsaid roller is mounted, and a weight upon said arm.

y 29. Ina film handling apparatus, a fllm carrler, a-toothed member for feeding a film positioned upon said carrier, a weighted tensioning member bodily supported upon the-film between said `carrier and said feeding member, said weighted tensioning member being so'disposed in; relation to said carrier and said toothed'feeding memberthatit conditions the-operation of the entire stretch of film between said carrier andy said toothed member, and a guiding structure in which said tensioning member is movable in a direction angular to the line of travel of the film adjacent said roller whereby the lfilm is subjected tov tension lin substantiallyl fixed longitudinal relation to such line of travel.

30. In a film handling apparatus, a carrier, a toothed' member for feeding .a film positioned upon said carrier in relation thereto, a weighted tensioning roller bodily supported upon the lm said weighted roller being so disposed in relation to said carrier and said toothed member that it conditions the operation of the entire stretch of the 111m between said carrier and said feeding member, an axial formation extending from said roller in both directions, and a guiding structure for said roller characterized by parallel slots,

disposed in angular relation to the line of travel of the lm adjacent said roller, in which said formation is angularly movable, whereby during the feeding operation upon the film said roller is revoluble in respect to the lm' and angularly and freely movable therewith and maintained against substantial movement along such line of travel.

WARREN DUNHAM FOSTER. 

